Latest Offenders Cheshire

Description

Keith Brookes has been sentenced to 3 years imprisonment, he must sign the Sex Offenders Register for life and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order is in place for life.

The details of this case are sensitive and have not been made public.

Description

A paedophile referee turned up to children's football matches and started running the line and giving offside decisions.

Roman Fletcher has a history of grooming youngsters and is subject to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

The 21-year-old, formerly known as Peter Burns, was previously locked up for using his role as a wrestling referee to target victims.

But he then started using his training as a football official to get closer to children - only to be spotted by an eagle-eyed coach.

Liverpool Crown Court heard FA coach Natalie Pinnington coaches a girls under 14 team, Brookvale United, in the Warrington area.

Cheryl Mottram, prosecuting, said Ms Pinnington worked with Fletcher, of Halton Road, Runcorn, when he was 14 or 15, because he refereed games she was involved in.

However, she hadn't seen him for a number of years and knew he wasn't allowed to work with children and that she should contact the FA if she saw him at youth football pitches.

On September 26 last year, while coaching at Orford Jubilee Neighbourhood Hub in Warrington, she spotted a man with a Sports Direct carrier bag.

Ms Mottram said: "Ms Pinnington had thought he was either the referee or an assistant of some sort, as he had stood about the side of the pitch and at one point, he gave a decision on an offside."

Ms Pinnington saw the man talking to a fan aged around six, then playing football with a group of youths aged around 10 to 12, before she was told it was Peter Burns.

On October 10, Fletcher returned to the hub and was spotted by Ms Pinnington at the side of the pitch.

Fletcher was told to leave and wait outside, which he did, but at the end of the game he came back and went in goal while playing football with a group of children aged between eight and 13.

The court heard Ms Pinnington took a photo of him on her phone and contacted the FA.

Ms Mottram said Fletcher returned to the hub again on November 7, when he played football with boys aged between nine and 12. This time Ms Pinnington called the police and Fletcher fled.

When arrested and interviewed, he accepted breaching his order but "stated he had no intention of causing any child sexual harm".

Fletcher admitted three breaches of his SHPO.

In 2017, Fletcher was given a youth referral order for four offences of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, relating to one boy and three girls.

In 2019, he was locked up for 12 months for one offence of the same charge, relating to a boy, when he was hit with the SHPO.

Ms Mottram said: "Those offences involve this defendant engaging with children under 13, around 11 or 12, in fact under the guise of wrestling and inviting them to perform wrestling moves with him, to the extent of sitting on his face during the wrestling moves. That is the modus operandi for all of those offences."

Recorder Ian Harris said police examined Fletcher's phone in November and found texts in which he told a friend if police found out he was attending children's football matches, "he was going to go anyway".

The judge said in a "contradictory" pre-sentence report Fletcher said he wasn't blaming his diagnosis of autism for the offences, but also denied any sexual attraction to children.

Recorder Harris said a probation officer found his account "implausible" as he has "a history of grooming behaviour towards children".

Jeremy Rawson, defending, asked the judge to bear in mind his client's autism and "pathological demand and avoidance syndrome".

Mr Rawson said: "He suffered significant bullying whilst he was a young boy, to such an extent he has difficulty in relating to those of his own age."

The lawyer said Fletcher was "football obsessed" and when he came out of prison, tried to join an FA scheme called Man v Fat, set up to help people with weight issues.

But the FA found out about his convictions and barred him from the scheme, so he was "left very much at a dead end as far as football was concerned".

Mr Rawson said Fletcher, who lost a job because of physical issues, expressed "regret and remorse".

Recorder Harris said Fletcher "attended a children's football pitch and seemed at least on one occasion to be helping to referee", but was spotted by Ms Pinnington.

He said: "On October 10 she actually approached you. You said you were helping to run the line."

The judge said Ms Pinnington later called the police, adding: "She is to be commended for her behaviour."

He told Fletcher: "It's a persistent breach that may, and in my judgement would, have led to harm."

Recorder Harris said the pervert's criminal record and latest offences showed a continuing "sexual attraction and infatuation with children".

Jailing him for 16 months, Recorder Harris found Fletcher's mental state and diagnoses didn't affect his culpability.

He said: "You were cunning and deceptive in your actions when you breached the order on those three occasions and you knew full well what you were doing.

"I have no doubt a future form of paedophile offending would have occurred."

Description

A paedophile has been sent to prison for 20 months for getting high on cocaine and having group sex with an Alsatian.

Trans woman Claire Goodier - who was previously known as John and convicted of child abuse images as a man in the past - admitted the offence in an earlier hearing.

Goodier, 60, was described as 'manipulative' and 'deceitful' by a probation officer at the Chester Crown Court sentencing today.

The pervert was listed under a male name but with a note added to be addressed in the hearing as Claire.

A Sexual Harm Prevention Order is under her new name, but it is not clear whether she will serve time in men's or women's prison.

Judge Steven Everett called the crime in taking part in the dog act with other adults as 'despicable' 'disgusting' and 'depraved' as he jailed the pervert for 20 months.

Goodier has twice been convicted of possessing indecent images of children, back in 2006 and 2009, with the judge admitting the defendant had been 'astonishingly lucky' to avoid previous spells behind bars after receiving suspended sentences.

Paulinus Barnes, prosecuting at Chester Crown Court on Wednesday, December 22, said the police had called to Goodier's home on July 19, 2019, to carry out a routine check due to being on the sex offenders register for life, reported the Northwich Guardian.

Officers took a laptop which contained evidence Goodier had searched the internet for bestiality content and when a full analysis of the equipment was finally completed some two years later, it emerged hidden folders contained 31 indecent images of a sex act with an Alsatian breed of dog.

Mr Barnes said: 'She admitted possession of the images.

'She said she had fantasised about it for a number of years and after talking about it with people in Northwich, was put in touch with others in Bournemouth.

'She travelled down there in December 2018 and took part in the sex act with other people and the Alsatian dog.'

On arrest on June 17 this year, police also found another pen drive in a handbag containing the same images and 3.5 grammes of cocaine.

When the sex act was committed between December 15 and 16, 2018, Goodier had also been in breach of a suspended sentence order, which had been imposed in May of that year for failing to adhere to the terms of a sexual harm prevention order.

Simon Mills, defending, said his client had always been 'frank and honest' with the probation service and although accepting the behaviour had been depraved and disgusting, called on the Judge to consider another suspended sentence.

He said: 'This incident took place some three years ago. 'The picture now is one of sporadic offending.

'This is not a case where the offending is getting more and more serious.

'She will do everything asked of her by the court and there are tentative signs of improvement in her attitude and approach.'

Goodier had also failed to comply with the terms of the sexual harm prevention order in November of last year, when she was 13 days late, blaming being in isolation due to Covid guidelines.

Judge Everett told Goodier he did agree with the probation service assessing her as being a low risk of re-offending as he sent her to prison.

He said: 'You are a long, long way from changing your life.

'You deceitfully took part in a cocaine-fuelled incident with other persons.

'Since the terrible offence took place you kept the images unashamedly for your own sexual gratification.

'In the middle of all this, you failed to comply with the terms of an order, which some might say is a minor breach, but it's not for the first time.

'Your record is appalling and it could be said you were astonishingly lucky not to go to prison previously.

'A message must go out that if you commit such disgusting behaviour then you must go to prison.'

Goodier sobbed after learning of the 20 months sentence, ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and order to sign the Sex Offenders' Register.

Description

An aspiring toy shop owner sent a sexual picture of himself wearing Cookie Monster pyjama bottoms to an undercover police officer he thought was a 12-year-old girl.

David Parry, 39, of Boston Avenue, Runcorn, is now behind bars after being snared in an online sting operating in the East Midlands and engaging in sexual communication with elements of grooming.

Parry, who was planning to open a toy shop before facing justice today at Chester Crown Court, exchanged messages with fictional schoolgirl persona Zoe via Kik Messenger between October 8 and October 20 last year.

Matthew Dunford, prosecuting, said Zoe was really an undercover police officer who told Parry she was 12 years old.

Parry's messages quickly became sexualised.

When Zoe asked why he used the profile name UKDaddyDom, cyber pervert Parry said he liked to be dominant when Im with a girl, I like to play the daddy role.

The next day he sent a sexual picture of himself wearing pyjama bottoms.

On October 13 he said was feeling very horny and asked her to send him a sexual picture of herself, assuring her I wont tell anyone.

He also sent the girl a video of himself performing a sex act.

On November 10 last year, officers from Cheshire Police arrested Parry at home in Runcorn and seized two laptops and a mobile phone.

UKDaddyDom denied having indecent pictures but a forensic trawl uncovered abuse images featuring girls aged between five and 13 years old.

These consisted of: 48 of the most serious kind in Category A, 30 Category B, and 132 Category C, totalling 210.

Digital clues showed he had shared two Category A images on November 25, 2012.

Parry claimed he spoke with people online who appeared to be under 18 years of age but said you never know.

At North Cheshire Magistrates Court in Warrington on November 23, Parry pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of a child, causing a child under 13 to watch sexual activity, possessing 210 indecent images of a child, possessing a prohibited image of a child, distributing an indecent image, and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

Mr Dunford said Parry had seven previous convictions for 16 offences, although none for sex offences.

Parry served a prison sentence after he was jailed in August 2000 for attempted robbery and having an imitation firearm with intent.

His most recent previous conviction was in 2008.

Paul Wood, defending, pleaded mitigation for Parrys prompt guilty pleas and a significant delay in bringing the case to court.

He noted the abuse images were not recent and clustered from 2010-12.

Mr Wood urged the court to consider a suspended sentence as the best way to serve the public interest by rehabilitating Parry.

He argued the distribution offence could be treated as an aggravating feature of other charges due to the small number of images.

Mr Wood said: One of the best things I can say is, hes very sorry, he knows hes got to change his ways.

This case has absolutely turned his world upside down.

In terms of mental health, hes very vulnerable in my submission and hes found it remarkably difficult with these proceedings hanging over his head.

He conceded Parry had expressed some minimisation with regard to his attraction to young girls in conference with the probation service and had tried to blame booze and drugs for looking at abuse images.

Parry also had a business.

Mr Wood said: The defendant has a business.

Its just to make it abundantly clear its reasonable for the defendant to conduct that business.

Judge Michael Leeming, presiding, told the court Parry had applied to open a toy shop in Halton.

He said Parrys offences spanned a decade and were too serious for anything other than an immediate custodial sentence.

During his summing-up, he said Parrys offending had involved sending a sexual picture of himself wearing pyjamas, Cookie Monster pyjama bottoms.

Judge Leeming sentenced Parry to three years and two months in prison and made him subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to run indefinitely, and placed him on the sex offenders register, also to run indefinitely.

Sending him down he said Parrys guilty pleas showed he accepted he contributed to the demand and victimisation of vulnerable children who are subjected to abuse, and warned him: Its important for you to understand these arent victimless offences.

The judge said the attempted sexual communication charges showed an escalation, although he noted there was no real child victim in relation to those counts.

He said the defendants attempts to minimise his crimes left him not satisfied theres a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

Considering the representations on Parrys behalf and a pre-sentence report, Judge Leeming said: The author presents you as medium risk of serious harm.

Its felt you can be managed in the community as you have made lifestyle changes to remain offence-free.

For example, contacting your GP to assist with regard to depression, youve abstained from alcohol, and youve applied to open a toy shop in Halton and expressed a willingness to engage with probation.

A post on Parry's social media business page yesterday said it would be shut today due to "appointments".

Description

A 'violent bully' forced his victims to eat their own faeces in a horrific campaign of abuse. David Fury-Walsh, who also falsely claimed he was related to pro-boxer Tyson Fury, raped, assaulted and coerced three women.

The case began building against the 31-year-old, also known as David Overton, in September 2021, when police received reports he had raped and assaulted a woman.

He was arrested within hours of the report but during his time in custody, two other women also came forward and reported they had also been victims of his abusive behaviour.

The victims all told police how when they initially met Fury-Walsh he was a 'caring and generous man', who told his victims that he was a relative of the boxing champion Tyson Fury. However, police said his behaviour quickly changed and he began abusing the women.

Fury-Walsh, formally of Brook Street, Macclesfield, forced his victims to have sex on demand, violently assaulting them if they didn’t comply with his wishes. On two occasions he even made victims eat their own faeces.

He also controlled the women’s finances, taking out loans in their names and manipulating them into handing over their savings on the promise that there would be a big return, which never emerged.

Following the reports, officers from Cheshire Constabulary built up a case file of evidence against Fury-Walsh and charged him with a total of 25 offences. He was found guilty of all charges following a three-week trial at Chester Crown Court on Wednesday (December 14).

The offences included 13 counts of rape, four counts of sexual assault, three counts of controlling and coercive behaviour, three counts of actual bodily harm, one count of sexual touching and possession of a knife. He has been remanded in custody to appear at Chester Crown Court on February 6 2023 for sentencing.

Following the verdict, Detective Constable Jade Bannerman, who led the investigation said: “Firstly I would like to thank the victims for the courage and bravery that they have shown throughout this investigation. Fury-Walsh is a violent and manipulative bully, and even when faced with all the evidence against him, he refused to plead guilty to any of the charges.

“Instead, he forced his victims to relive their experiences in court, which could not have been easy for them. Thankfully, as a result of the statements provided by the victims, and the evidence we gathered the jury have seen through his lies and he is now being held accountable for his actions.”

Description

A teaching assistant from Runcorn who sexually abused a vulnerable pupil from the school where he worked has been jailed.

Alexander Palin appeared at Chester Crown Court on Wednesday 15 December where he was sentenced to 36 months in prison.

The 30-year-old from Runcorn, had earlier been found guilty of five counts of sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 17, being an adult abusing a position of trust.

Palin was employed as a teaching assistant at a school in Runcorn for a number of years.

The allegations against him came to light in November 2019 when the victim, a 16-year-old pupil, confided in her mum about what had taken place.

She revealed that she had met Palin outside school multiple times and that the pair had engaged in sexually activity on a number of occasions.

The offences occurred within Palin's car, whilst parked in a secluded area of Wigg Island between the winter of 2018 and summer of 2019.

Palin was arrested in relation to the allegations in November 2019 and, despite denying any involvement, he was subsequently charged with five counts of sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 17 and one count of abusing a position of trust.

Following the sentencing Detective Constable Ed Flaherty, who has led the investigation, said: "I'd like to praise the victim in this case for the bravery and courage she has shown, both throughout this investigation and subsequent trial.

"Palin held a position of trust, and while the victim was not in any of his classes, he was well aware that she was a pupil and he knew that she was vulnerable.

"In spite of this, he purposefully chose to take advantage of her for his own sexual gratification.

"Despite all of the evidence gathered against him, Palin continued to deny all of the allegations made against him and has shown no remorse for the pain that he has caused, which will impact the victim for the rest of her life.

"Thankfully the jury were able to see through his lies and he is now facing the consequences of his actions.

"I hope the sentence handed to Palin provides reassurance for the victim and allows her to move forward with her life."

On top of his custodial sentence Palin was ordered to sign the sex offenders' register (until further order) and added to the barring list.

He was also issued with a banning notice preventing him from working with children.

Description

A convicted sex offender used Snapchat to pretend he was 15 in order to groom an underage girl before meeting up with her to have sex.

Joshua Murrell, from Crewe, who was in fact 19 years-old, has been jailed for five-and-a-half years after admitting a string of serious sexual offences.

His victim was aged 13 and 14 at the time of the offences.

Murrell, of Plane Tree Drive, was already the subject of a five-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) having been convicted of sexual offences in March 2020.

He was sentenced at Chester Crown Court on December 9 having pleaded guilty to several offences, including sexual activity and sexual communication with a child as well as breaches of the SHPO.

Rob Edwards, prosecuting, said the SHPO prohibited Murrell from using the internet to contact a child under the age of 16.

However, on May 8 this year he contacted the victim on Snapchat and persisted with messaging her despite the fact she told him she was 13.

Murrell told her he was 15 and began asking for images of the victim.

Upon receiving them, he referred to her as "sexy" and told her he loved her. He also sent her an image of his erect penis, the court heard.

Mr Edwards said Murrell had told the victim that "if she did everything he wanted" he would get her "everything she wanted" up to a value of 500.

On June 1 they met at a park in Nantwich where they shared a kiss.

Then on the following two days, June 2 and 3, the defendant had sex with the victim near a lake in Nantwich, the court heard.

The victim told her support worker about what had happened and the police were informed.

Following his arrest, Murrell denied that he knew the victim. He was released under investigation.

On August 29, he made contact with the victim again, anonymously on Snapchat.

Mr Edwards said messages were then shared via WhatsApp with Murrell telling the victim he intended to marry her when she was 16.

He asked her not to tell anyone that he was in contact with her.

"She felt sorry for him", Mr Edwards told the court. "She didn't want to cooperate with the police."

On August 31 they met again in Crewe where they had sex.

They arranged to meet again but never did, and Murrell was re-arrested the following month.

Mr Edwards said the victim has suffered "panic attacks" as a result of Murrell's offending. She feels "sad and angry", he added.

Sarah Badrawy, defending, said her client, who has been diagnosed with autism, was aware that he faced "a sentence of some significant length".

She told the court: "He struggles to understand why he offends in this way. It's something he wants to explore and address.

"As a young man he doesn't want to spend his life committing offences of this nature.

"He wants to address the issues and risk he poses. He does not shy away from that.

"He wants to know why his mind works in this way, to identify the trigger factors and keep away from this type of behaviour."

She added that her client has a "supportive family" and there was an employment opportunity awaiting him upon his release.

Judge Simon Berkson said the offences committed by Murrell have had "a significant effect on the victim".

He told the defendant: "You're 19 and have pleaded guilty to a number of sexual offences.

"You groomed your victim who was then aged 13. You were purporting to be 15.

"The grooming became sexual. You denied committing the offences and persisted with the lies until your first appearance at crown court."

Judge Berkson added that having autism had "affected" Murrell and told him it may be a reason why he struggled "making relationships with people your own age".

Murrell was sentenced to five and a half years in a youth detention centre, of which half will be served on licence.

He was also handed a 12-year SHPO and a restraining order covering the same length of time.

Description

A convicted sex offender who was caught with hundreds of indecent pictures of children was jailed.

Christopher Watts, 50, was arrested when police raided his Widnes home in April after receiving intelligence that he was searching for vile content online.

When police searched a number of devices that belonged to Watts they found hundreds of indecent pictures of children.

Yesterday Watts appeared at Liverpool Crown Court and pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images, two counts of possessing indecent images and one count of possessing a prohibited image.

Simon Duncan, prosecuting, told the court that Watts had 109 Category A pictures of children of the most serious type and 143 Category B pictures. Watts' collection also included a small number of extreme images which included child rape and bestiality.

Mr Duncan explained that Watts denied having images of child sexual exploitation when interviewed by police in April after a raid at his home address on Hambleton Close.

However Watts was re-arrested in November which led to him being charged.

Judge Gary Woodall, who jailed Watts for two and a half years, said the Widnes man had been using the 'dark web'.

Judge Woodall said: "You were using peer to peer sites and clearly involved in the dark web. Many of the images found were thumbnail stills of videos which had been deleted."

The judge said that some of the images found on Watts' devices were extreme.

He said: "Some of these stills showed pictures of very young children being raped."

Judge Woodall said there was evidence that Watts had a "sexual interest in young children."

He told Watts, who appeared on video link from HMP Altcourse, that he would serve half his sentence in prison and the remainder on licence.

He also made Watts subject to a sexual harm prevention order.

Jeremy Rawson, defending, told the court that Watts grew up in Guildford and moved to Runcorn when he was a child.

Mr Rawson said that Watts left school at 18, attended a YTS course and worked as a painter and decorator. Watts later completed a computer course and gained a full time job with BT.

He said that Watts had no history of substance abuse and had gained a job in the laundry at Altcourse prison.

Mr Duncan told the court that in 2015 Watts was convicted of four counts of indecent assault and two counts of indecency with a child.

Watts was jailed for 10 years after being found guilty following a trial at Guildford Crown Court.

The victim, whose identity was protected, told the court that Watts made her feel "disgusting and dirty."

She said that Watts told her that he would harm her family if she reported him to the authorities.

When he was 15 Watts was convicted after pleading guilty of indecent assault by simulating sexual intercourse with a two and a half year old girl.

Description

'Dangerous' pervert Ian Robinson has been jailed after arranging to meet a '13-year-old girl' for sex.

The 60-year-old, a registered sex offender, was caught 'talking sexually' to a child's profile online.

Cheshire Police say that Robinson, of Congleton Road, Sandbach believed the person he was talking to was a 13-year-old girl.

The force says Robinson, who detectives have branded 'a dangerous offender', was arranging to meet for 'sexual intercourse'.

Now the defendant has been jailed for eight years.

On October 5, North West Regional Organised Crime Unit supported detectives from Cheshire Police's Online Child Abuse Investigations Team with their investigation into Robinson - who had travelled from his home into Liverpool where he thought he would be meeting his intended victim.

However the pervert was arrested on Edge Lane and taken into custody. Robinson, who has previously been convicted and jailed for a similar offence, was charged and remanded the following day.

He went on to plead guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, attempting to meet a girl under 16-years of age and attempting to arrange the commission of a child sex offence.

On November 4 he was handed the eight year jail term.

Detective Sergeant Mark Fletcher, of Cheshire Police, said: "Ian Robinson is a dangerous offender and has shown he will go to great lengths to offend against children.

The work of Cheshires police officers and the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit has put Robinson behind bars for some time with the associated protection it offers to the public.

This should be a lesson to anyone who is minded to offend in this way. You will be caught and sent to prison.

Description

A paedophile caught with a collection of horrific child abuse images begged for help from the police after he was snared in an online sting.

Repeat sex offender Keiron Boyd, 37, last living on Cunliffe Close, Palacefields, Runcorn, was initially arrested after trying to groom a "14-year-old girl" via social media.

The girl, Darcy, was actually a decoy who led officers to discover the vile stash of videos and pictures on Boyds Samsung phone and Kindle Fire tablet.

Sarah Badrawy, prosecuting on Thursday at Chester Crown Court, said Boyd, who had breached sexual offences prevention orders (SOPO) six times in the past, was arrested and interviewed on July 5 after he made contact with the "girl" on Facebook.

The conversation moved to Messenger and text messages, and Boyd engaged the "girl" in sexually explicit conversation before inviting her to meet for sex.

He asked the decoy, who was posing as a schoolgirl, intimate questions and made graphic sexual suggestions, at one point saying he wanted to "tie her up".

Their interactions took place from June 25 to July 5, ending when the decoy reported Boyd to the police and provided screenshots.

While being arrested, Boyd told his mother he was sorry and had let her down - he had a problem and he had f***ed up and needed help.

In a police interview, Boyd broke down at the end and said: I need help, please help me, I need help with my attraction to children.

He indicated guilty pleas to attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, and attempting to meet a child following grooming in magistrates court on June 6.

Further charges followed as police made the grim discovery of the haul of abuse images on Boyds devices.

Ms Badrawy gave brief descriptions of types of disturbing content involved to the court, including abuse involving a baby aged 18 months, and young girls aged around four or five being raped. Boyds sick stash also featured bestiality videos.

He pleaded guilty at Chester Crown Court at the first opportunity to three counts of making indecent images of a child, one of possessing indecent child images, one of having prohibited images and possessing extreme pornographic images.

The charges related to: 22 Category A videos and eight images in the most serious category; five Category B videos and 36 images; nine Category videos and 35 images; seven extreme pornographic videos and 10 images; and one prohibited video and 84 images.

Ms Badrawy said Boyd had eight convictions for 25 offences including multiple SOPO breaches, indecent images, and criminal damage.

He has previously served time in prison.

Jeremy Rawson, defending, pleaded mitigation for his clients early guilty pleas citing them as showing remorse but conceded Boyd had an unenviable record, which places him in considerable difficulty.

He said the dad-of-two had obtained qualifications at college and had a strong work ethic and was working until his arrest when he confessed his crimes, and has worked while on remand in prison, taking on roles including sorting the prison laundry.

Mr Rawson said: He made full admissions and saw himself as quite clearly a man in need of great assistance.

That had been provided in the past by the probation service but unfortunately for him he didnt comply with as much of the rigorous work as required, and there was a cry for help after his arrest.

He added Boyds mother had terminated contact with her son after his latest crimes.

Judge Patrick Thompson said Boyd was a serious risk of harm to children and imposed an extended sentence, sending him down for five years plus three years on extended licence, meaning he could serve eight years if he offends after his release.

Boyd will have to serve two thirds of the custodial term before being considered for release by the parole board.

The judge approved a Sexual Harm Prevention Order - which have replaced SOPOs - to run indefinitely, and he placed Boyd on the sex offenders register for life.

During his sentencing remarks, Judge Thompson noted the offences happened against a background of [Boyd] having been before the court in the past on numerous occasions.

He said: Its clear to me you have an unhealthy interest in children and its a sexual interest.

Ive read with care the pre-sentence report in your case.

The assessment is that you pose a high risk of serious harm to children particularly females aged 12 to 14.

He added: Its clear you pose a significant risk to children.

I hope whats been said on your behalf is true and you are open to seeking help for a very serious problem or you will serve longer and longer prison sentences.

Children are the most vulnerable and must be protected.

Description

A children's basketball coach talked about sexually abusing a baby and using it as his "f*** toy" during "depraved" online chats.

Stuart McNeil used to coach Cheshire Junior Jets as well as Warrington Collegiate and University of Chester basketball teams.

The 39-year-old, who was born with the spinal defect spina bifida, also carried the Paralympic Torch in 2012.

But he has now been outed as a paedophile who shared "horrific" child rape videos among the worst ever seen by one officer.

Liverpool Crown Court heard McNeil, of Baker Drive, Great Sutton, Ellesmere Port, used the messaging app Kik Messenger.

David Polglase, prosecuting, said: "Kik is a platform often favoured by those with an interest in the sexual abuse of children."

An undercover officer posed on Kik as a man living with his girlfriend, who was soon expecting their first child, in July 2019.

The officer joined a group on Kik called 'Babys', with 23 members, and ended up in a private conversation with McNeil.

Mr Polglase said: "The conversation quickly turned towards fantasies about sexually abusing the child of the couple when it was born."

McNeil asked the officer if he was going "to start early" with his child and said if he had a newborn baby, he would abuse them.

He sent a Category B indecent photo of a nine-month-old girl and asked the officer to send a photo of his baby when it was born.

On July 9, McNeil sent him a Category A film, involving a boy, aged seven, performing a sex act on another boy.

Mr Polglase said McNeil discussed how the officer "should start abusing the baby when it was born" and described the baby as a "f*** toy".

On July 22, McNeil shared a Category A video of a two-year-old child being raped in the 'Babys' group, then sent it directly to the officer.

The officer sent a photo of his supposed baby girl to McNeil, who asked whether he had abused her yet.

Mr Polglase said: "There was then discussion about meeting up so the baby could be abused together."

In a chat on July 24, McNeill said they could meet in a hotel near Liverpool or Chester and he would pay.

He later said he wouldn't be able to rape the baby because of his medical issues, but would sexually abuse her another way.

Mr Polglase said McNeil talked about getting into the hotel without raising suspicion and "hoping the child wouldn't cry".

He discussed other intentions too graphic to publish and twice encouraged the officer to abuse his baby.

McNeil also sent other images of children, aged between 12 months and 11-years-old, being raped.

Police raided his home on August 8, 2019 and seized his electronic devices.

Mr Polglase said: "Police were informed he was in Stockport with the England U15 basketball team. The police attended at the location and arrested him."

His sick collection featured 368 Category A images, including 56 videos; 329 Category B images, including 15 videos, and 604 Category C images, including 13 videos.

McNeil also had two extreme porn files and seven prohibited images of children.

Officers discovered he had been talking to others on Kik about abusing children and was in multiple groups.

Mr Polglase said in one conversation he spoke to a different undercover officer, posing as a 14-year-old girl.

McNeil asked for naked photos and images of this supposed girl rubbing herself.

He distributed videos involving the rape of babies "clearly in distress" and on 219 occasions shared other indecent photos.

Mr Polglase said: "The officer who examined these images described them as some of the worst he has seen in 18 years of this type of work."

McNeil, of previous good character, was twice interviewed by police, but remained silent.

He admitted three counts of downloading, one count of possessing and three counts of distributing indecent images, plus possessing prohibited images of children and extreme pornography.

McNeil also admitted two counts of intentionally encouraging an offence and two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Rick Holland, defending, accepted the material was "very disturbing".

He said McNeil lived an "isolated existence" and sought a "skewed solace in his communication and conversation with others".

Mr Holland said: "The defendant has really had no circle of friends to speak of, no associations, no hobbies really, nothing."

Judge Garrett Byrne said: "He must surely have known what he was doing was wrong. Those images are absolutely disgusting."

Mr Holland said: "They are outrageous, appalling and they are deeply sickening. He can recognise that now."

The lawyer quoted McNeil as saying he wanted "to apologise to everyone, my family, my friends, for everything I have put them through and the victims in the images I downloaded".

He said his client added: "Some people will never forgive me, but I am genuinely sorry."

Mr Holland suggested it was an "exceptional case" and urged the judge to spare McNeil jail.

He said McNeil had no feeling from the waist down since birth, the kidney condition hydronephrosis, bowel problems and bladder stones.

The lawyer said: "He is physically and emotionally vulnerable."

Judge Byrne said the offences took place over eight years, but most were from 2018 onwards.

He told McNeil: "You began to fantasise about sexually abusing the purported child when it was born and you sent explicit messages expressing your depraved desires."

The judge said of "great concern" was his apparent "complete inability to empathise" with a child he described as a "f*** toy".

He said "more sinister" was McNeil discussing meeting to abuse the child, however, no actual arrangement was made and he didn't have a fixed intention to do it.

Judge Byrne said in a letter McNeil's sister and brother-in-law made the point "you had worked in a school for 10 years and in basketball for 20 years, all without any complaint being made against you".

However, Judge Byrne said the videos were "horrific" and referring to one clip said: "I'm not even going to describe it."

He said his case was not exceptional and while prison would be difficult for him, every image was a victim of sexual abuse and he fuelled the market for it.

Judge Byrne said: "What was done to them is deeply appalling."

He said McNeil was "an offender of particular concern" and jailed him for two and a half years, with an extended year on licence.

McNeil must serve at least half of the term behind bars, before he can apply to the Parole Board.

He must comply with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for six years and sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Description

A dangerous sex offender who repeatedly abused two girls and a boy was jailed for 19 years.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that it was unlikely John Woodward, a 74-year-old granddad, will live long enough to complete his custodial term.

He has to serve two thirds of it before he can apply for parole and the judge imposed an extended licence of four years after ruling that he is an offender of particular concern.

His two female victims, sitting in the public gallery for the hearing, wept and hugged each other after Woodward, who appeared via video link, was sentenced.

In an impact statement one of them told how she used to take scalding hot baths in order to feel clean because of what he had done to her.

Her mental health had been affected and she had been unable to follow business plans she had hoped to carry out.

The male victim also told how he has been left suffering from anxiety and depression.

He had not realised at the time that what Woodward was doing to him was wrong but later appreciated how bad it was.

Woodward, of Brookdale, Widnes, had been convicted of 16 sexual offences against the three victims after a trial and Liverpool Crown Court heard that he still maintains his innocence.

Judge Gary Woodhall said that his offending spanned 27 years and he had exploited their vulnerability and had groomed them and used bribes of money, alcohol and cigarettes.

Despite knowing that concerns had been raised about sexual abuse involving the third victim and the authorities notified he continued abusing her regardless.

It was only when her mental health broke down that his offending behaviour, which began when she was 13, came to the attention of the police.

She has since been diagnosed with complex post traumatic stress disorder because of his abuse.

He told Woodward, I am satisfied you are dangerous and will pose such a risk in the future.

Charlotte Kenny, prosecuting, said that his offending against the first victim took place when she was aged between six and 15 and it occurred against the boy when he was aged 14 and 15, sometimes after showing him pornography.

Miss Kenny said that the offences against the other girl happened on multiple occasions including when he gave her whisky and pulled down her trousers.

On another day he put his hand down her trousers and later gave her vodka and 20 before walking off.

And on a further occasion while kissing her breasts he shockingly said, s**g me for 50.

Miss Kenny said: She has expressed her desire to rebuild her life and aims to move away so she is not going to be reminded of what has happened to her.

But she has expressed her sadness at having to do that. She said he has stolen her childhood, her education and her mental health."

Maria Masselis, defending, said that there was a low risk of the defendant re-offending. She said he has suffered testicular cancer and a head injury.

He has poor mental health and carried out serious self-harming.

She said that his wife is supporting him but she is suffering from cancer and he is concerned how she will cope without him.

Miss Masselis said that the pandemic means that his time in prison will be more difficult than would otherwise be the case and she added that because of his age and health he was unlikely to complete the custodial sentence imposed on him.

The judge ordered Woodward to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life and imposed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order not to contact his victims.

Description

A 51-year-old man from Runcorn has been jailed after being convicted for a string of historical child sex abuse offences from the late 1980s.

Philip Cook, of Davenport Row, Halton Lodge, was found guilty by jurors on August 26 of nine counts of indecent assault of a child.

The charges reflected an escalation of worsening crimes from touching to activity characterised as rape by prosecuting barrister Cheryl Mottram on Thursday at Liverpool Crown Court as Cook was sentenced.

Ms Mottram recounted details of the vile abuse, which was perpetuated against a young boy under the age of 12 and included sex acts and simulated sexual intercourse.

The offences took place in Liverpool in the late 1980s when Cook was an adult teenager.

Matters came to light when Cooks victim began to confide in people close to him, resulting in counselling sessions, and then the involvement of Merseyside Police.

His victim, now an adult, read a powerful impact statement in which he asserted his identity as a survivor of child sexual abuse.

He said: I never wanted to believe that you were that word - a paedophile, because that meant I was abused and you were my abuser.

You were someone I liked, I trusted and wanted to spend time with and play the game.

I was too young to realise I was being groomed, too young to know you were taking advantage of me.

You were old enough to know what you were doing was wrong and you shouldnt have been doing it.

You were not my friend who was playing a game.

The abuse survivor spoke of the devastating impact on his life and how it took him years to realise its not my fault, adding that he had prayed for his abuser and will one day forgive him.

Jo Maxwell, defending, said Cook was of hitherto or prior good character with no previous convictions or offences committed since the late 1980s.

She said that in the significant period of time since the abuse took place, adding: He has spent the last 10 years or thereabouts running a well-respected animal rescue service.

Ms Maxwell said this related to cat rescue.

She said Cook had experienced an unstable childhood and traumatic formative years followed by a spell living in hostels when he left home, and later worked until he was 30 when ill health got the better of him and hes been unable to work fully since then.

Cook, who was involved in a serious road traffic collision in 1988 that left him with a damaged leg, appeared in the dock walking with the aid of a stick.

Judge David Potter, presiding, jailed Cook for nine years with a year on extended licence, and placed him on the sex offenders register for life.

He said he was satisfied Cook was not in the opinion of this court a dangerous offender and classed his level of future risk as at most medium, but said Cook had committed serious sexual offences that he dressed up as a game, which constituted grooming.

In sentencing Cook, Judge Potter referred to the defendants continual denials.

He said: When interviewed by the police, you consistently denied and maintained that denial that you had done nothing wrong towards (the victim).

The jury was satisfied that you were not telling the truth and convicted you on all of the counts on the indictment.

Description

A drunken pervert was caught loitering at a bus station where he has a history of leering at schoolgirls.

Kim Rampley has been on the Sex Offenders Register since 2002 and was jailed in 2006 for sexually assaulting a girl.

Since then he has harassed women and children at bus stops and train stations across Merseyside and Cheshire.

Liverpool Crown Court heard the 68-year-old was hit with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) in June 2015.

But he breached this on August 21 this year, when he "loitered" at Warrington Bus Station while drunk.

Simon Duncan, prosecuting, said a PCSO attended the bus interchange at around 1pm, after receiving a call from security about "a heavily intoxicated male loitering there, having been refused permission to travel".

Mr Duncan said: "He observed the defendant for some 10 minutes, staggering around, clearly heavily drunk, having soiled his trousers with urine."

Police were called to the scene and arrested Rampley, who wasn't interviewed because of his drunken state.

Rampley, of Grange Avenue, Latchford, Warrington, admitted breaching his SHPO and a suspended sentence.

Mr Duncan said Rampley had an "extensive history" of non-compliance with court orders, drunkenness and sexual offences including exposure, outraging public decency and indecent assaults.

Rampley, formerly of Frank Street, Widnes, was jailed for eight months in May 2006 for sexually assaulting a girl under 15.

He was given a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) - the old version of the SHPO - which banned him from approaching females on public transport or at stations.

Within an hour of being released from prison for that sentence, he targeted five females.

He was spotted by police blowing kisses and staring at two frightened 17-year-olds on a bus to Warrington, then pestered and called out to two 13-year-old girls in school uniform at the bus station.

Rampley then approached a woman at the town's nearby railway station and stared at her and pointed at her breasts.

For those breaches he was jailed for two years in October 2007.

In 2010 he was jailed for three years for trying to start a sexual conversation with a teenage girl on a train from Liverpool Lime Street Station.

In April 2012 he was jailed for three years for trying to engage three teenage girls in sexually explicit conversations at Sandbach train station.

Mr Duncan said he counted Rampley had breached both types of the order 11 times in total.

He said Rampley was handed 26 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, in March 2020 for breaching his SHPO in "circumstances almost identical at Warrington Bus Station, when drunk".

Rampley was given a community order in February for another breach "that involved exactly the same circumstances, at exactly the same bus station".

Kate Morley, defending, said: "The simple solution to the problem of Mr Rampley is to keep him in prison."

She said this was perhaps "the only realistic option" and her client didn't seek to persuade the judge to spare him jail.

Ms Morley said Rampley's recent breaches were for "public nuisance rather than sexual nuisance", he was a "chronic alcoholic" and "at 68 it's unlikely that's going to change".

She told the court he was "not a well man" but rather than get medical treatment, he had decided to "take his chances".

The lawyer said: "The sad fact is drinking alcohol is his only real pleasure in life.

"He has no family to speak of. He was extremely close to his mother, he described her as his rock. She passed away in 1995 and he lost his way in life."

Ms Morley said she didn't want to embarrass Rampley, but after 1995 he had his "one and only sexual relationship" and when that ended, he turned to drink "as a coping mechanism".

He committed his first offence in 1999, at the age of 46.

Ms Morley said: "Mr Rampley is embarrassed by his criminal record and he wants the court to know he has good intentions for the future."

The court heard Rampley wouldn't lose his home while in jail and has stopped drinking and is considering medical treatment.

Ms Morley said when he is next released his lawyers may have to consider asking for his SHPO to be amended, because his public nuisance breaches, as opposed to sexual offence breaches, were not what was intended when the order was made.

The judge, Recorder Ian Unsworth, QC, told Rampley: "You must be under no illusion that the SHPO in respect of which you have come before this court remains in place and when you're released from custody, you're still subject to it."

He said the pervert had a "terrible" record for non-compliance and an "extremely poor record" of convictions.

The judge jailed Rampley for 30 weeks - nearly seven months - in total.

Description

A doctor who attempted to groom a '13-year-old girl' online has been spared prison after his lawyers blamed his actions on working long hours during the Covid pandemic.

James Peter Farthing, 28, spoke to the 'teenager' on messaging service Kik - under the username 'olderc**k' - as well as on Snapchat.

The junior doctor, who worked for the NHS in Stockport, asked to see photographs of her body and shared an image of penis.

The account was actually being run by an undercover police officer and Farthing was later arrested for attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

However, today he walked free from Minshull Street Crown Court after being handed a suspended sentence.

Lawyers mitigating for Farthing, said he had been juggling working long hours during the pandemic, his wife's health condition and his training.

They said he had 'emotional struggles', had been watching pornography and smoking cannabis at the time - but that he was working to address his issues.

Her Honour Judge Tina Landale sentenced him to six months in prison, suspended for two years, after he admitted attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

He was handed concurrent sentences for attempting to involve a child aged 13 or over in non-penetrative sexual activity; and attempting to engage with a child aged 13 to 15 to watch and look at images of a sexual nature.

The court heard Farthing spoke to the 'girl' on Kik - under the username 'olderc**k', Fiona Clancy, prosecuting said. He also spoke to her on Snapchat, in March.

He said he was 23 and from Leeds. The 'girl' was called 'Beth' and was said to have been from Liverpool.

The cop used a picture of kittens to portray how young she was, Ms Clancy said.

Farthing asked 'Beth' if she was into 'older guys' and if she would send him a picture.

'Beth' told him: 'I'm 13, by the way.' Farthing replied: 'Cool. Are you down for role play or sex?'

He asked to see her body and offered to show her his penis. The 'girl' said she was worried about sending a photograph.

Farthing reassured her that if she didn't include her face, it 'should be fine'.

'The fact that the undercover officer was 13 was reiterated, but the sexual conversations continued,' Ms Clancy said, as the conversations moved to Snapchat.

Farthing told 'Beth': 'I have spoken to a few girls that like older men.'

The officer then sent a picture of a young, clothed girl. Farthing sent a photograph of his penis.

'I really want to touch your body and see what you look like naked,' he said.

He then sent another picture of his penis.

Ms Clancy said that when officers arrested Farthing, he said he was 'ashamed' and 'tried to stop', but 'gave in to sexual pleasure', the court heard.

Simon Gurney, defending, said Farthing, who has no previous convictions, was 'deeply ashamed and remorseful for his behaviour'.

His supervisor - a consultant - and training programme director provided statements to the court.

Staff and patients 'all expressed shock' after Farthing was arrested, the court heard, as people thought he had a good 'moral compass'.

Mr Gurney said they 'stand by him' because they acknowledge his remorse.

The lawyer said it was the first time in Farthing's career that he didn't enjoy his work - and that his family was in debt as a result of the pandemic.

Mr Gurney said Farthing 'only has himself to blame for jeopardising' his career.

Judge Landale said the 'girl' made it 'clear that she didn't want to talk about sex'.

Farthing was ordered to take part in the Horizon project; to complete 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days; and to undertake 200 hours of unpaid work.

He was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order - to last a decade.